October 4th, 2025 marked 20 years since Flyleaf dropped their self-titled debut, and honestly, it still feels just as powerful today as it did back in 2005. That album wasn’t just a release; it was a moment. The kind that sticks with you, shapes a part of who you are, and still gives you chills every time Lacey screams “I’m so sick!”

There was something so real about that record. The way Lacey’s voice carried both pain and hope at the same time, it hit in a way not many albums do. Songs like “Fully Alive,” “I’m So Sick,” and “All Around Me” didn’t just sound good; they meant something. They were heavy, emotional, raw, and honest. You could tell it all came from a very real place.

Produced by Howard Benson, Flyleaf managed to sound huge while still feeling deeply personal. It had that early-2000s punch, but the emotion behind it made it timeless. For so many of us, that record was more than just a playlist favorite, it was something we felt deeply, something that helped us through.

Fast forward to 2023, seeing Flyleaf back together with Lacey again was nothing short of incredible. We had the honor of covering their final show of the reunion run at Blue Ridge Rock Fest, and the energy was unreal. You could feel how much those songs still mean, not just to fans but to the band themselves. Every lyric, every scream, it all carried all thoe years of history and connection.

It’s rare for a debut to hold up this long, but Flyleaf still does. Two decades later, it’s still one of those records that reminds us it’s okay to feel everything, to scream, cry, believe, and heal through the music.

Here’s to 20 years of Flyleaf, and to the songs that helped us all feel fully alive.